Toe molding machines



May 29, 1956 c. M. BAGSHAW ET AL TOE MOLDING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet l 7 Filed Feb. 2, 1954 in van tors C/Zar /e5 Mfiayshaw Lawrence D- Xfr/c y 1956 c; M. BAGSHAW VET AL 2,747,207

TOE MOLDING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2, 1954 y 9, 1956 c. M. BAGSHAW ET AL 2,747,207

TOE MOLDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 2, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 in van for; 12 36 Cfi arias MBags/Zaw La LUI8I'Z ce D K/rk May 29, 1956 c. M. BAGSHAW ETAL 2,747,207

TOE MOLDING MACHINES Filed Feb. 2, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 sion, from between the outer :mold and the plate.

United States PatentO TOE MOLDING MACHINES Charles Martin Bagshaw and Lawrence Denis Kirk, Leicester, England, assignorsto United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation'o'f New Jersey Application February 2, .1954, Serial .No. 407,736

Claims priority, application Great Britain February '27, 1953 Claims. :(Cl. 12- 97) This invention relates .to improvements in machines for molding shoe uppers, and is illustrated herein as embodied in a machine for "molding the toe -endportions of shoe uppers while unsupported .bya last.

:In the manufacture of some kinds of so-called sliplasted shoes, it is sometimes desirable that the toe portion of the upper shall b.e;first molded more or less to its finished shape so that when the last is finally withdrawn the toe portion will be .likely to retain ;its :molded shape and thus give a better appearance to :the

finished shoe. In the manufacture :of 1shoesin:this manl'lCI'.'1it'iS desirable that'the molding of the :toe portion :of

:the upper shall not produce in the margin df the upper :around the toe wrinkles or creases :of .such 'a :size as :to

interfere with sewing of zthers'ock lto the upper and, if .a

:platform cover is :sewn to .the upp'er, with the sewing of the cover to the upper, so that a smooth exteriorsurface 50f the :cover is obtained.

object of the invention is 'toprovidean improved machine for molding the toe portions of shoe uppers :without forming wrinkles in the margin of the upper.

The illustrative machine, in one of its forms hereinafter described, comprises inner and outer molds between which the toe portion of the upper is molded, the inner mold, which is preferably heated, being arranged to be "moved downwardly toward the outer, lower,'mold. The margin of the toe portion of the upper to be molded is placed between the molds and positioned relatively to the lower rnold by a pair of adjustable gages which engage theedge face of the upper around the toe. Alternatively, the work may be positioned forwardly and rearwardly and also laterally with relation to the molds by a removably mounted template shaped to fit the throat of the vamp of an upper, the arrangement being such that when 'the edge gages are to be used the template may beremoved from the machine, and when the template is to be used the edge gages may be moved out of the way of the upper when it is placed on the template.

The marginof the'upper is gripped between the outer mold and a clamping plate which is yieldingly urged toward the outer mold and, as the inner mold presses the upper into the outer mold, the margin slips, under ten- The margin of the upper is thus held in outspread condition until nearly the end of the movement of the inner mold toward the outer mold, thereby tending to prevent the formation of wrinkles in the margin of the upper.

These and other features of the invention will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a right-hand side elevationof the machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing an outer mold, shoe upper positioning members, and a clamping plate for holding the toe portion -.of an upper in 'outspread position against the :mold during a molding operation;

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Fig. 3 is a right-hand side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is ,a view similar to Fig.2, but with one of the upper positioning members removed and the others in engagement with an upper;

Fig. '5 is a front elevation of the lower portion of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a section along the line VI-VI of Fig. 4, illustrating the cooperation of the molds, the upperpositioning members and the clamping plate at the beginning of a molding operation;

Fig. 7 .is a similar view of the parts at an intermediate stage of a molding operation; and

Fig. 8 illustrates the relation of the parts at the end of .a moldingoperation.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,257,087, granted September '30, 1941, upon an application filed in the name of Hubert LBoothroyd. Accordingly, only so much .of the machine will be described'herein ;as is necessary for an understanding of the invention.

Referring to "Fig. l, the .machine comprises a bed plate 10 W'hichQis supported ona post ilzslidingly mounted in the 'frame of the machine. "The post is yieldingly supported by a spring 13 so that .the .bed plate 10 may move down slightly during the molding of an upper. The bed plate 10 has slidably mounted in it .four vertical pins 14 ,(Fig. 2) which extend downwardly from a plate 16 to whiohris fixed alower femalemold 18 having .a cavity shaped'like the toe portion of .a last. A dovetailed guideway20 (Fig. 5.) in thellower 'face of .themold 18 engages a guide 22 secured -to the plate :16. .Ascrew 24 (Fig. '2), threaded through aLblock 26secured-toithe ,plate 16, engages .the mold .18 to permit adjustment of the mold forwardly or .rearwardlyand prevent the :mold from being pushed rearwardl-y during the molding of.an upper.

The margin of the .toe portion .of an .upper .U do be molded -is clamped against the upper surface .of the ,outer .mo'ld 18 by .a clamping ,plate 28 which, :as .seen vin ,plan (Figs. .2 .and 4-), presents ,anopeningsimilar to the outline of .the cupped .portionof the outer or lower .mold. The clamping plate 28 .issecured on .the upper ends .of .four spindles .30 .(Eigs. l .and 5;) which .are slidingly mounted in .the base plate :10 .and have :reduced ,portions -.on which are mounted springs .32. The springs engage the bottoms of recesses 34 in the bed plate 1-0 and nuts 36 .on .the lower ends of the spindles, .and urgethe clampingplate .28 downwardly toward the outer mold -18 until shoulders .38 engage the .bed plate 10. Ihe upper portions-ofthe ,two:front spindles *30zpass freely through the mold-supporting plate .16, while the upper ,portions of the two rear spindles pass outside the .mold-supponting plate.

Pivoted at 39 on the underside of the .clamping'plate .28 are two upper-positioning gage members 40 (Figs. 2 .and 4 which .-arearran ged totengagethe edge face of the upper around the =toe. .Each upper positioning member has init.a;pin 42 which is :arranged 'tobe-engaged tbyan adjustable serew44. ilihescrews dd-arethreadetlthrough the .front spindles 30 and-have .on them look nuts 46. llle upper face of the clamping plate 128 -.has -on .-it -three marks 48 to assist the operator in adjusting the tupperpositioning members 40 bythe-screws 44.and einrpositioningthe .upperover the-.outernnold :18.

Alternative upper-positioning means is provided :in the form of :a-ggage'or template:501CFigs.;1, 2aand.3-) shaped -.to fit thethroatsziof the vamp of aniupper U :and arranged no position the .upper ifonwardly and nearwardly as 'well :as tlaterally with rela'tion to the molds. "IZhe stemplate T50 is removably mounted on two pins 54 extending upwardly from a block 56 and engaging holes in the template. The block 56 is mounted in aguideway 58 provided in the upper face of a bracket 60. A threaded stud 62 extending downwardly from the block 56 passes through a slot 64 in the bracket 60 and has a wing nut 66 by which the block may be secured in adjusted position in the guideway 58. The bracket 60 is removably secured to the front of thebed plate 10 by means of a stud 68 fastened to the bracket and extending into a bore in the bed plate, and is latched in position by a spring pressed plunger 70 having a conical end which engages in an annular groove 72 in the stud 68. A pin 74 also fastened to the bracket 60 and extending into a bore in the base plate 10 holds the bracket against rotation.

When the lower or outer mold is in its initial position, there is ample clearance between it and an upper or inner mold 76 (Fig. 1) for insertion of an upper in a substantially flat condition. To perform a molding operation, the upper is introduced from the front of the molds between the lower mold 18 and the clamping plate 28, and is positioned relatively to the mold 18 by means either of the edge gages 40 (Fig. 4) or of the throat gage or template 50 (Fig. 2). If the edge gages 40 are used, the template 50 and its supporting bracket 60 may be removed from the machine simply by pulling on the assembly until the stud 68 and pin 70 are disengaged from the bed plate 10; if the throat gage 50 is used, the edge gages 40 may be moved out of the way, as shown in Fig. 2, after withdrawing the screws 44. It is understood that, if desired, both the throat gage 50 and the edge gages 40 may be used at the same time.

After the toe portion of the upper has been thus positioned, the lower mold 18 is raised to clamp the margin of the upper between it and the clamping plate 28, so that the margin of the upper will be held in flat condition during the molding operation to produce a wrinkle-free margin around the toe portion of the upper.

For thus raising the lower mold, there is provided a hand lever 78 (Figs. 1 and 6) secured to a shaft 80 rotatably mounted in the bed plate 10. Fast on the shaft 80 are a pair of arms 82 which engage the underside of the mold-supporting plate 16 and raise this plate as they are moved from their normally horizontal position, indicated in dotted lines (Fig. to a substantially vertical position (Fig. 7). After the outer mold 18 has pressed the upper against the clamping plate 28, the clamping plate is raised with it, the springs 34 being compressed. The margin of the upper is thus held between the outer mold and the clamping plate 28 by the springs and the pressure on the upper may be varied by adjusting the nuts 36 on the spindles 30.

The inner or upper mold 76 (Fig. 1) has a shape corresponding to that of the cavity of the lower mold, with allowance for the thickness of the upper, and is preferably heated, as by electrical means 84. The mold 76 is secured to the lower end of a plunger 86 which is slidably mounted in the frame and arranged to be moved downwardly by a block 88. The block is pivotally mounted on the end of a bell crank lever 90 carried by a shaft 92 and oscillated by a link 94 driven by an eccentric 96 upon a drive shaft 98 connected by a clutch 100 to a pulley 102, substantially as disclosed in' previously cited Patent No. 2,257,087. As also more fully described in the same patent, the effective length of the plunger 86 is adjustable by means comprising a wedge member 104 mounted in the machine frame, the upper surface of the wedge member being normally maintained in engagement with the block 88 by a spring 106 extending between the block and the plunger and normally maintaining the plunger in engagement with the lower surface of the block. The wedge member 104 is adjustable by means of a threaded stem 108 which passes through a downturned lug 110 at the forward end of the Wedge member and is threaded into a hole in the plunger 86. The stem 108 carries a knurled nut 112 by which it may be rotated to move the wedge member 104 forwardly or rearwardly to position its upper surface at different heights above the upper end of the plunger, the wedge member being held in adjusted position by a spring pressed plunger 114 carried by the wedge member and bearing against the rear face of the nut 112.

After the toe portion of the upper has been positioned in the machine, the machine is started and the inner mold -76 is moved down to press the upper into the outer mold 18. Fig. 6 shows the inner mold in engagement with the work at the start of a molding operation. As the shoe upper is pressed into the outer mold, its margin is yieldingly held between the top of the mold and the clamping plate 28 in a well spread out condition, as shown in Fig. 7, and the margin slips, or is drawn, under tension, from between the mold and clamping plate, thus preventing, or tending to prevent, the formation of undesirable wrinkles in the margin of the upper. When the upper has been pressed fully into the outer mold, the margin forms a straight continuation of the sides of the upper without any inturned or outturned flange (see Fig. 8). After the inner mold has pressed the upper against the bottom of the outer mold, the outer mold yields downward slightly against the spring 13, thus ensuring that the upper is firmly pressed into the outer mold.

When the upper has been pressed into the outer mold, the machine stops. After a few moments, to give the upper time to set in its molded condition, the machine is again started to cause the inner mold 76 to be raised, and thereafter the hand lever 78 is returned to its original position, allowing the outer mold 18 to drop until the mold-supporting plate 16 rests on the bed plate 10, and the clamping plate 28 to be returned by the springs 34 until the shoulders 38 on the spindles 30 engage the bed plate 10 (Fig. 5).

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A machine for molding the toe portions of shoe uppers unsupported by a last, having, in combination, an outer mold, an inner mold, supports for the molds, power operated means for moving one of the molds rel- .atively to the other to effect a molding operation, means for positioning an upper relatively to said molds, a member mounted on the support for the outer mold and arranged yieldingly to clamp the margin of the upper between it and the outer mold so as to hold the upper in outspread position while allowing it to slip, under tension, as it is forced into the outer mold, thereby to prevent formation of wrinkles in the margin of the upper and to produce a straight, unfianged margin around the toe portion of the upper, and means for moving the outer mold toward said member to clamp the upper yieldingly prior to commencement of the molding operation.

2. A machine for molding the toe portions of shoe uppers having, in combination, an outer mold, an inner mold, supports for the molds, means for moving the molds relatively to each other, a plate having a shape corresponding to the work-supporting surface of the outer mold and arranged to clamp the margin of a shoe upper between it and the outer mold, gages pivoted on said clamping plate and arranged to engage the edge face of the upper at the opposite sides of the toe portion and to position the upper on said outer mold, and means for adjusting said gages relatively to the clamping plate.

3. A machine for molding the toe portions of shoe uppers having, in combination, an outer mold, an inner mold, supports for the molds, an adjustable, interchangeable gage shaped to fit the throat of the vamp of an upper and arranged to position the upper relatively to the molds, a bracket for said gage removably attached to the support for the outer mold, a clamping plate mounted on the support for the outer mold and arranged 5 to clamp the upper between it and the outer mold so as to hold it in outspread position but permitting it to slip as it is pressed into the outer mold, and means for moving the molds relatively to each other.

4. A machine for molding the toe portions of shoe uppers having, in combination, an outer mold, an inner mold, supports for the molds, means for positioning an upper on the outer mold, a clamping plate yieldingly supported in the support for the outer mold and arranged to clamp the margin of the upper against the outer mold so as to hold the upper in outspread position but allowing it to slip yieldingly as the upper is pressed into the outer mold by the inner mold, means for moving the outer mold to press the upper against the clamping plate and for thereafter moving the clamping plate with the outer mold, and power means for moving the inner mold toward the outer mold to cause it to press the upper into said outer mold and for retracting the inner mold at the end of a molding operation.

5. A machine for molding the toe portions of shoe uppers having, in combination, an outer mold, an inner mold, supports for the molds, means for positioning the upper relatively to the molds, a clamping plate arranged to hold the margin of an upper in outspread position on the outer mold while allowing it to slip as it is pressed into the outer mold, spindies on the clamping plate mounted in the support for the outer mold, springs on said spindles, means for moving the outer mold to press the upper against the clamping plate and for thereafter moving said plate with the outer mold, said springs being compressed as the clamping plate is moved with the outer mold so as to grip the margin of the upper yieldingly between the outer mold and the clamping plate, means for adjusting said springs to vary the pressure on the upper, and means for moving the inner mold relatively to the outer mold.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 899,073 Rhoult Sept. 22, 1908 1,117,630 Bates Nov. 17, 1914 ,117,631 Bates Nov. 17, 1914 1,195,968 Connor Aug. 29, 1916 2,117,732 Korting May 17, 1938 2,302,750 Dixon Nov. 24, 1942 

